Improvement in water-wheels



UNITED STATESe ALBERT WINTON, OF FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,539, dated January27, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT WINTON. ofthe county of Frederick, in theState of Maryland, have invented and made certain new and usefulImprovements in Water-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the nat-ure, construction,and operation of said improvements, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichyFigure l is a vertical sectional view of the wheel. Fig. 2is a sectionalview through the diameter of the wheel. Fig. 3 is an inverted view ofthe bottom or under side of the Wheel. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe wheel with a fragment o the side or circumference, so as to show theform and arrangement of the buckets of the wheel. Fig. 5 is a top viewof the wheel, the gate, and framing thereof.

The nature of my improvements relates more particularly to the form andarrangement of the buckets or oats of a turbine water-wheel, togetherwith the peculiar construction of a circumferential or surroundingadjustable gate, and also of peculiarly arranged chutes or inletsthrough all of which, in combination, the volume of water is so appliedas to greatly economize the quantity thereof, yet will bring about agreatly increased force or power in operating the wheel.

The better to enable others to be skilled in the construction andoperation of my improvements, the following is a description thereof:

In Fig. I, at a a a c a a, is represented the superstructure or supporton which the wheel is affixed, both of which are to be submerged withinthe penstock or reservoir of the mill. At b b b b is the tub part of thecast-metal wheel, formed with a central partition or diaphragm, o c, andhub d d. To the bell-shape sides e e e e of the wheel, which also has awayrim, f f f f, formed on its upper edge around it, are affixed thefloats or buckets g g g g g g, twenty-two in number, (see sectional Fig.l and also Fig. 4,) their vertical sides being slightly curved, as ,at hh h h. Said buckets or floats continue downwardly about twothirds thedepth of the tub-rim c e e e, when tinue downwardly at an angle oftwenty-two degrees, as at j j j j, and also incline outwardly from theside of the tub at an angle of about thirty-four degrees, as shown at lclok k, Figs. I and 4. These buckets or iloats are arranged around thecircumference of the tub e e e e at equal distances, and divergeoutwardly from the center or axis of the hub d d, and from the trueradius thereof at an angle of fourteen degrees, as indicated by the redlines l l Z l, Fig. 2-that is to say, at the point of connection of thevertical part h h h h, said connection, instead of being in a true`radial line outwardly from the center or axis point m m of the hub d d,is in an oblique line, starting from the right of the axis, as at n n nn, Fig. 2; but at the same time the outward edge, o o o o, of thebuckets, when in position, are in a true radial line from the axis ofthe wheel. The buckets or iloats g g g h t' j lc may be cast togetherwith the rim or tub part of the wheel, or separately, and bolted ontothe circumference of the tub. On the outer edges of the curved part ofthe buckets is attached a surrounding band or hoop, p p 1019, of aslightly less diameter than the wheel, having an upper iange-rim orshoulder, q q q q, Figs. 1 and 4, on which, as a base or support, thebuckets are affixed, the buckets having aportion of their outer loweredges cut out sufficiently to tit onto the hoop or band, as atppp p q qq q, Figs.l and 4. Thus,having formed the Wheel, itis to be fittedsecurely onto a suspending spindle or shaft, r r' r r, Witha larger endor butt,.s s, Fig. l. Combined with the wheel is a cap or disklikecoveringt t t t t, formed with a circular rabbet or shoulder, u u u u,so as to iit over the way-rim f f f f, Fig. l. To this disk is affixedpermanently a hollow column or supportingsleeve, vovo, having acollar-rim, w w, the bore of the column being-sufficiently larger indiameter than the vertical shaft so as to admit of required play aroundthe same. 0n the collar end of the column is arranged an adjustable stepor easing-seat, x x a: x, formed with a neck or tube part, y y, fittingaround the shaft or spindle and within the collar part thereof, saidneck or tube part having an an-l nular or ring formation, z e, providedwith adjusting-screws a2 a2 a2, Figs. I and 5. To the shaft r r 1" isfitted a circular collar, b2 b2, having a ti ghtening-screw, c. By saiddevices of the step and circular collar the wheel can be elevated moreor less, and may be suspended so as to rotate horizontally. To the topsurface of the disk or cap are three or more yoke-like standards orbraces, e262 e2,

' which stride the rim f2 f2 of the circular gate g2 g2. This gate,which is formed of a drumlike shape or as a wide band, is of metal andsurrounds the wheel and buckets, and is arranged in such a manner as tobe adjustable up and down, so as to graduate the inflow of water in itspassage to the wheel. To the lower edge of said gate are aflixed seriesof horizontally-attached ilange chute-guides h2 h2 h2 h2 h2 h2, Figs. land 4. This circular gate can be elevated and depressed by any suitablelever or other mechanism, and moves up and down between the yoke-likestandards or braces c2 e2 e2. Attached securely by bolts or screws tothe superstructure is a metallic way of annular shape, as at i2 2 'i2i2, having a rabbet or shoulder formation, j2 j2 j2, within which theilange or shoulder part q q q g of the wheel moves or plays sufficientlyfree so as not to rub or bear thereagainst. At equal distances aroundthis way i i t' i, toward the outer circumference thereof, are aftixed,by bolts or otherwise, vertically-arranged chuteguides k2 7a2 7a2 k2,being thirty-two in number, or, as a general thing, averaging aboutone-third more in number than the buckets or floats of the wheel. Thesechute-guides are in relative position to the side of the wheel at aboutan an gie of thirteen degrees obliquely from the circumference of thewheel, and nearly at right angles to the vertical buckets or floats, asseen in Figs. l, 2, 4. Said guides, together with the flangechute-guides h2 h2 h2 h2, when combined and arranged inv position,

form sloping inlets or chute channels all around the circumference ofthe wheel, as at l2 Z2 Z2 l2,

' Figs. l and 4. If found necessary further to strengthen thechuteguides or stay them more firmly in position, an annular rim may beaffixed around their upper extremities, so as to bind them and keep themin their upright position. Thus having formed the wheel and othernecessary parts complete, the whole will be the`n ready for placing inposition within the reservoir or penstock of the mill, the under part ofthe wheel being elevated above the ground work, so as to prevent anycontact with obstructions, and to admit of the spent water passingfreely out into the tail-race below.

The operation of my improvements is as follows--vizz Vhen the wheel isto be put in mo tion, the adjustable circular gate g2 g2 g2 g2 is to beelevated as required (more or less) so as to open the chute-channels orinlets l2 L2 l2 Z2, Figs. l and 4, so as to admit the required volume ofwater surrounding the wheel, when the inflow of the water, being dividedinto numerous small columns by the chute-guides k2 k2 7a2 R2 with theiiange-guides h2 h2 h2 h2, I said channels having inwardly-slopingsides, *ca-uses the small columns of water to rush against the verticalsurface of the buckets with great force, and, owing to the curved sideof the vertical part of the buckets or lloats, the centrifugal force ofthe wheel is entirely counteracted, for the inflowing water, instead ofbeing thrown oft' outwardly, is retained thereby and its whole energy orimpulse brought into use, and whereby the direct hydraulic action isalso applied. The volume of water after acting on the vertical surfaceof the buckets descends upon the lower concave and sloping surface ofthe buckets, where it is sufficiently long retained to afford a fullreactive force, and then, having expended its inherent hydrostatic powerand impulsive force, flows out through the vents or outlets beneath thewheel and passes oli' to the tailrace.

The design of employing an excess of chutes or inlets is to divide thedescending column of water, so as to multiply the impact force. The areaof the upper part of the bucket is full one-half more than the area ofingress through the chutes or inlets. By elevating or depressing thegate with its chute-guide attachments h2 la/ML2 h2, as hereinbeforementioned, a greater or less intlow of water may be applied, and by thismode of applying the water-power the line of force of the small columnsof water is obliquely thrown oft' from a direct motion toward the centerof the wheel, andconsequently the energy or force of the water will beacting on the periphery of the wheel, whereby greatly Yincreasedleverage is obtained, affording multiplied momentum to the wheel, thedead inward centrally-tendin g pressure being entirely counteracted.

The advantages claimed for my improvements are as follows-viz: In theuse of the present most approved turbine-wheels, experience has shownthat the full impulse of the volume of water applied thereto cannot bedeveloped, because the volume of water acting against the buckets isgreater in proportion than the surface or area of the bucket andtherefore crowds or packs so against the buckets all around as toproduce a counteraction; but by my mode of using the verticalchute-guides and the adjustable gate and guides the main volume of wateris broken up or divided into series of smaller columns less than thespace between each bucket, instead of admitting therein the full directflow against the surface of the buckets, which would tend to clog ordrown7 the wheel by overloading it. Thus preventing these difficultiesby my construction of wheels, a multiplied energy or impact force isbrought directly against the leverage of the buckets, the dead-pressureof the water is prevented and, instead, is converted into impulse, andthe reactive power fully and economically developed.

Having fully set forth and described the nature, construction, andoperation of my improvements, and desiring to secure the same by LettersPatent of the United States, what I claim asnew and useful is asfollows-viz:

1.- The construction of a turbine waterwheel, b b b b e ee e, formedwith a close horizontal diaphragm or partition, c c, and hub d d, thebuckets or iloats g g g g, whose outer vertical edge longitudinally isslightly curved, as at h h h h, said buckets or floats arranged orstanding relative to the center or axis of the wheel at an angle offourteen degrees, andwhose lower part is the arc of a quartercircle, asat i i, and continuing sloping downwardly at an angle of twenty-twodegrees, as at jjjj, and likewise inelining outwardly at an angle ofabout thirty-four degrees, as at k Ic k lc, Figs. l and 4, so that theinflow of water may be received from and in the direction substantiallyin the manner as set forth and described.

2. The cap-coverin g t t t t, formed with a eircular rabbet or shoulder,u u u u, and the suspending-sleeve or hollow column e i; e v w w 'w w,with the adjustable step or casing-collar .fr y z a2 a2 a2, combined andarranged substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and as set forth.

3. The mode of suspending the wheel through means of the adjustablecollar b2 b2 b2 bz c2, as shown in Figs. l and 5, and as set forth anddescribed.

4. The construction of the peculiar surrounding adjustable gatef2f2f2f2g2g/2 9292, formed with the chute-guides h2 h2 h2 h2, Figs. l and 4,substantially as set forth and described, and in combination with thewheel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

5. The special arrangement of the vertical chute-guides 7621@ k2 k2 atthe angle of thirteen degrees, and when so arranged around thecircumference of the wheel and buckets thereof as to divide theinflow ofthe main volume of surrounding water into numerous small columnsone-third greater in number than the number of buckets, and whereby thesaid columns strike the surface of the buckets nearly or quite at rightangles thereto, substantially as in the manner set forth and described.Y

ALBERT WINTON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

D. ROULAND, J oHN AS. GALLAHER, Jr.

